Fitness blogs

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Thanks to everyone who participated. Sparky checked in regularly, tried new fitness regimens, and showed the most improvement. Sparky, please contact me with your shirt size so I can whip up that blinged out workout top for you and mail your prizes. You’ve made a lot of improvement and it shows. I’m very proud of you 🙂

Just a few more weeks until summer. And just a few more weeks until my birthday. The weather is already getting warmer. I’m pulling out the sundresses and maxi dresses already. Here in San Diego we’ve been experiencing weather in the 80’s and higher. I usually love the higher temps but my new convertible has leather seats and my legs are getting scorched regularly!!! I’m still getting lots of DM’s and texts from my Fitness Challenge Diva’s. I don’t know everyone is so shy… If ya’ll don’t post, it’ll be hard for me to declare a winner. Keep up the good work, stay on track, and be the Divas I know you are 🙂

Don’t forget to plan your meals and workout for the week. If you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail…

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At the end of the clinical trials for the natural-thyroid medicine, I was on top of the world. Hadn’t felt this good is years. And I mean many years! All the annoying thyroid symptoms were gone. I was sleeping well, no aches and pains, my hair wasn’t clogging up the drain and overall was feeling groovy. About a month later, I followed up with my primary care doc and my labs came back as thyroid levels too high — essentially I went from one extreme to the other very quickly. The clinician warned us that this could happen (possibly due to being over-medicated) and that we should continue to follow up with dr and get lab work. So I did. My dr said that I didn’t need the T3 meds based on my lab results. He also refused to prescribe the meds from the trial saying the meds would continue to deteriorate my thyroid. He’s basically against this med saying it hasn’t been on the market for 40 yrs. (true but has been on the rise with new credible studies). Also, since my auto-immune disease is ongoing (never resolved), my TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) level was really high with the t3 meds. He suggested I get back on same meds t4 meds but different brand and test again in a couple of months. As life challenges arose I dove head first into fixing other problems thinking I would be fine for a while. Instead I quickly got so tired yet anxious, heart racing for no reason, no appetite, achy joints, very sensitive to cold (imagine freezing and sweating at the same time) and awful debilitating panic attacks (which I detest and will avoid by remaining low key).

I now think my problem is not converting t3 to t4 but more about the nature and makeup of the hormone replacement drug itself. I read a lot of Dr’s don’t like the natural medicines and many pharmacies don’t even carry it. My research says you may have to find a pharmacist that works in compounding medicines but before going that route you have to find a Dr willing to tweek your lab work (to include adrenal and cortisol testing). It’s very confusing and thanks to another thyroid symptom — brain fog — I’m having a hard time retaining all the info and had to shut down the brain. For now I’m right back to feeling like my gas has run out. I equate the whole experience similar to that of a running car. Mine was a Volkswagen and then I went to a Maserati and now I’m in a Fred Flintstone mobile.

***Update

I’m really having a hard time sharing this story because of all the people truly & really suffering with life threatening illness while I’m stuck with a disease that alters my daily life. That’s it. But at the same time it is affecting the qualify of my life and I just cannot ignore this but also can’t seem to pull myself outta this stupid, stupid funk. And I don’t know the answers anymore. I thought the clinical trail WAS my answer.

And then I look at my hubs who is a quadriplegic with major life challenges and I think what a wimp I am. He wakes up every day with a smile ready to take on the world. I feel awful for my grumpiness. At the end of the day, I do realize and appreciate all my blessings and admire him greatly. I’ve also been dealing with this for 13 years and I’m just bummed right now.

Since initially writing this, I have eliminated wheat from my diet and do feel better (gluten free). I have also almost (!) cut out all sugar. That’s a tough one haha. I try to do a 1/2 hr – 1 hr walk in the morning. I found that putting on my headphones and cranking up my favorite tunes helps immensely.

I am still determined to beat this and my next goal is finding a new doc.

“…Life is strange with its twists and turns, as many of us must sometimes learn..” That’s a line in a poem that I use to recite as a young woman trying to find her way through life. I guess I said it so many times that I actually began to feel it and believe it.

I have been serious about changing my lifestyle habits, especially the habits that keep me unhealthy. I never imagined that I could suffer an injury from walking, yes, walking. I was in so much pain after one of my walks that I limped home. Injuries are hard to overcome, most times they are counter to whatever I’m trying to do, and it’s challenging mentally.

Once again my Saturday morning ladies came to the rescue. One of the ladies suggested I make an appointment with her chiropractor who would give me a thorough examination. I visited the chiropractor, and I had to stop walking for two months…doctor’s orders! So many obstacles to my idea.

I stopped writing because I didn’t want the posts to spiral downward into a whiny mess. The best part of all of this is I still managed to lose weight. I couldn’t believe it! It means my eating habits are improving.

I’ve been given the green light to walk. I’ve also included a gentle yoga class into my weekly repertoire. I’d love to practice Pilates…but I just don’t have that kind of money.

So, I’m off and running…walking again. Hope to touch base with everyone soon.

After 10+ years of feeling abnormal, I was totally fed up. I did the endo trip every 3/6 months for 10+ years and I still felt crappy… this after doing everything I was supposed to! I was eating healthy and I did exercise 3x a week. To be honest though, there were days when I barely could exercise and trust me, I cheated wherever I could when I felt bad – there is a great DVD called “Yoga for the Rest of Us.” It is designed for disabled and the elderly, – I felt disabled and certainly elderly! Anyway, .there came the time when I no longer trusted my “team” of doctors. I started reading more “thyroid-related” websites & forums (border-line obsessively!) and I found out the Synthroid medicine I was taking was only working on the T4, which is the inactive thyroid hormone/ and not the T3 which is the active thyroid hormone. Synthroid is a synthetic. Apparently, Hashimoto’s patients often experience T4 to T3 conversion problems. I learned that “we” need that T4 to T3 conversion to feel and be well! So there was my ah-ha moment: “If you have been on a T4 med only for any length of time, but still do not feel well, the addition of a synthetic T3 med may be helpful. Switching to a desiccated thyroid brand has helped many as it already contains both T4 and T3.” (This is where my University study came in – I agreed to take the non-FDA approved Desiccated Thyroid hormone replacement (which contains the T3/T4 combination).

At first, I was really confused about Hashimoto’s vs. Hyper & Hypo Thyroid. The best explanation I found was on the “Thyroid Sexy” FB Website so I’m quoting here: “Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune disease. Hypothyroidism is the result of it. Hashimoto’s antibodies slowly destroy the thyroid gland by the autoimmune “attack.” In the process, it is possible to experience symptoms of “hyperthyroidism” as the gland “struggles back to life”, (even more so when on hormone replacement) but eventually the gland becomes non-functional, rendering one completely hypothyroid.” And…. “The majority of thyroid illness is due to an autoimmune disease, whether it’s Hashimoto’s autoimmune induced hypothyroidism, or Graves’ autoimmune induced hyperthyroidism.”

A side note reads: **you can have Hashimoto’s and test negative for the antibodies on blood tests. Some ways that can determine it, is FNA of a nodule (Fine need aspiration) ultrasound and a biopsy of tissue post partial or total thyroidectomy surgery. An ultrasound is recommended for any patient with a diagnosis of Hashimoto’s/ hypothyroid to determine if there are nodules, goiter etc. ‘Most’ nodules are benign, but malignancy needs to be ruled out. ** I did have an ultrasound and repeated the test two years later – both ruled out any abnormalities.

The other paragraph that really stood out to me and made TOTAL sense was: “The best way to determine your thyroid hormone levels are the Free T3 and Free T4 tests. That is the actual circulating thyroid hormone available for cellular use. If you’re seeing a Dr. who insists on diagnosing and/or treating you based solely on the TSH test, it’s time to find a new Dr!”

Reproductive Hormones (If you are a woman who is still menstruating, the reproductive hormones should be tested 19 to 21 days past the first day of your last period)

This next note really speaks to eating healthy in the first place BEFORE considering any changes in medications! I started eating healthy in 2012 – before that I was on a career high and eating on the run constantly! NOTE: **If your iron, ferritin, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12 are too low, you may have trouble with thyroid hormone replacement. They need to be in optimal ranges for your body to tolerate and utilize thyroid hormone properly. Low or high cortisol (adrenal hormone) can present a problem as well. Cortisol levels should be at the highest when you wake in the morning and gradually come down throughout the day, with the lowest level between 10 and midnight. An 8-9am and 4-5pm serum cortisol test is recommended. A 24-hour saliva cortisol test is even better. Reproductive hormones also need to be balanced. Thyroid, Adrenal and Reproductive hormones all go hand in hand. When one is out of balance, it can throw the others out of balance. **

I apologize for not quoting sources. All quotes are on the Thyroid Sexy FB page which was compiled from various sources. I tried to follow sources but elected to just quote one source for less confusion and to save space. Less confusion more so than space. Ha!

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Stay tuned for Pt. 3 of Lizzie’s story. The final chapter and big reveal 😉

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I was having a perfectly ordinary & happy life until one day my world turned upside down. I was in my late 30’s in good health, ate right, exercised but was gaining weight rapidly (especially in my face?), and sweating A LOT. My other symptoms were anxiety, panic attacks, fatigue and a lot of confusion. I went to my Dr and found out my thyroid levels were off but more important (to them), I was in menopause. I nearly fell off my chair! No peri-menopause, no symptoms – nothing. The Dr recommended hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and Synthroid for my thyroid problems. I went to an endocrinologist who diagnosed me with Hashimoto’s Disease – which I surmised to mean not hypothyroid & not hyperthyroid but in the middle and never to be manageable. For the next TEN YEARS each annual physical resulted in the same conversation – oh, it’s just menopause, keep taking the HRT and you will feel better soon. So off I went, dunce cap firmly planted on head and kept taking the HRT until the exact 10th year of being on this crap — THEN, it was my Dr saying – ‘oh, wow. 10 years on HRT?? That’s enough. You should stop taking it.’ A couple of weeks after stopping the HRT my symptoms didn’t budge. I couldn’t fathom why? I stayed off HRT only taking the Synthroid for the next three years and was consistently getting worse. I was starting to think I was mental. I was extremely depressed and to top it off I was laid off from my job of 25 years. That was devastating and I literally spent days on end in bed with just enough energy and the where-with-all to take care of the things I HAD to do.

Six months ago, I found a Thyroid Support Group on FB. I discovered a whole world of people suffering with ALL the same symptoms that I had! In fact, I learned my thyroid most likely kicked in the menopause and was the culprit for ALL my symptoms. There it was right in front of me – all these women with sudden weight gain, sweating, anxiety/panic attacks, fatigue, loss of hair and memory problems. (That last one really hit home – I was blaming menopause for everything but the memory problems. I could not figure out why my memory had been failing or why I easily flustered at the simplest of tasks). After reading pages, notes, links, studies and seeing pictures of other women (who ALL had the same facial “fatness”), I found a new lease on life within this FB page. Hashimoto’s disease is a serious autoimmune disease! I also discovered the most common blood testing done to regulate your thyroid (TSH – thyroid-stimulating hormone) is not able to provide a complete diagnosis and that administering Synthroid is far from optimal treatment for many people. I have all my lab work with the TSH Test always the one being ‘highlighted.’

Through this FB page, I found a study was being conducted at a local university. I met all the pre-requisites and was accepted into the study. I knew going in that I would be taking medicine not authorized by the FDA – which at this juncture meant nothing to me. I was willing to take that risk. It has now been three weeks since I started taking the “natural” thyroid hormone and I feel like a new person. My panic attacks have slowed down considerably, I can concentrate again, I am sleeping better and I have lost 3 pounds! More importantly, I no longer have handfuls of hair in the drain spout whenever I shower (LOL!).

** This FaceBook group is called “Thyroid Sexy” – and is run by Gena Nolan who used to star on Baywatch. She also suffered for many years with Hashimoto’s and has done a great job (in my opinion) of creating awareness.

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Thank you for sharing your story, Lizzy! I look forward to hearing about how you battled thyroid disease and won. 😉

Follow Lizzy on Twitter @LizzieTishy

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I’m seeing progress in my healthy lifestyle commitment. I am moving my body and more importantly, I find myself looking forward to my evening walk. My initial attempt to cooperate with my doctor’s orders to exercise didn’t go so well. I signed up for dance style aerobic classes. Dancing seemed like a great way to get my heart rate up; but, the classes weren’t a good fit. I thought the class was going to be based on belly dancing and it was…but it was fused with jerky, Beyonce type steps and hip hop music (You Ain’t Nothing But a Hoochy Mama!, etc). When the music started, the instructor turned down the lights…and honey that class took off! So much pounding, jumping and booty popping, I could’ve sworn the mirrored walls were undulating! The tapping required to keep time with the movements flared my plantar fasciitis, the choreography was challenging, the class was crowded, and stretching my arms always resulted in me poking someone. This was not what I expected. I had purchased an introductory package of four classes; so, I tried another class, it was for body toning. The instructor was so conceited the whole experience was surreal. During the entire class she talked to us about her wonderful body and she had us look into the mirrors while we posed and blew kisses at our image…oh brother! The loud music, mirrored wall, kissing my image, was too much sensory overload. I didn’t even use the remaining classes. I let the registration expire.

I started walking through my neighborhood. I live in the flatlands; but the hills are very close. It’s an established section of town; so, there are lots of pretty gardens to admire as I stroll into the hills. I believed the elevation would give me a good work out too. I walked, not too fast, listening to music, it was very enjoyable. Unfortunately, each morning after I walked, I would wake up to pain in my foot. I was getting discouraged. The pain was almost unbearable. I started to realize that even walking was proving to be a challenge. One evening, after cutting my walk short because of the sharp pains, I went home and I just broke down, I mean if I couldn’t walk what the hell could I do? It is often said, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear” – Anon. A few days after my woe is me moment (I was still moping); I received an email from a former colleague who walked with a group of women on Saturday mornings. She asked, “Would you like to join us”? I responded, “Yes”. I thought my enthusiasm and disposition would convince my body that this was a good thing and it would respond accordingly. On Saturday morning, I was the first to arrive at the agreed upon meeting place. I was stoked! Before we began to walk I did admit to the group that I was having problems with my foot. One of the ladies suggested I try the reflexologist that many of the women in the group used. I was intrigued by her suggestion. We began our trek; it was awful! I took so long to finish the trail that a couple of the ladies had driven off before I made it back to the parking lot. The ladies that waited for me were very supportive. They insisted that I make an appointment with the reflexologist. I was assured that he could address my foot problem. The first two sessions with the reflexologist were excruciating, that man kneaded, poked and prodded, oh it hurt so badly! I would just bite my lower lip and suffer. I am glad to report that the reflexology sessions are working. My calf muscles are not tight and sore anymore and the sharp pains in the arch of my feet are almost nonexistent. I can keep up with the ladies on Saturday mornings too; okay, I’m still bringing up the rear… and most of the group takes a detour, walk five flights of steps (twice), catch up to me and pass me up; but, I am keeping pace. I’ve also resumed my evening walks with just a little tenderness the next morning.

Hey, it’s a Tortoise and Hare situation…you know, slowly but surely does the trick!